The In-between
by eudaimonism
Summary: Jim and Pam got together, but what happened between the final episode of season 3, and the start of season 4 of the office US?
1. Chapter 1

I don't know if this can be real. Years of sitting at that desk. In that office. My heaven and hell all wrapped up, and now, suddenly, she's here.

Jim woke up and blinked at the sunlight pouring in through his half closed blinds. For a moment he forgot the events of last night, until he noticed the mass of frizzy hair resting just under his chin.

"Shit." It was all real then. Pam was here. In HIS bed. wearing HIS shirt. He pulled his arms around her tighter and relished the very feel of her. He'd been waiting so long for this. Just this. Just Pam.

As he lay in the silence, paying close attention to her steady breathing, while in turn breathing her in. He squinted over to look at the clock next to his bed. 7am. Time to get up, unfortunately. Honestly he never wanted to move again. He could happily stay here forever, holding her close. Part of him couldn't bear to let her go, what if she decided this was a mistake? What if she didn't want him anywhere near as much as he wanted her? He decided this was it, this was all he'd have. This blissful, perfect moment, before she woke up and everything he'd ever dreamed of was shattered. Starting to feel tearful, he kissed the top of Pam's head, and nudged her awake.

Pam woke up with a startle. "Jim? Shit. Jim!? What happened? Did we - I mean-"

"No, no. Come on Beesly, you'd definitely remember it if I rocked your world" _Wow, Jim well done, just make her feel more uncomfortable, shit._"No, we went out for that meal, remember? And then you decided you were far too drunk to even consider going home, so we got a taxi back to mine, and went to sleep. Honestly, what do you take me for? I wouldn't take advantage of a _very_ intoxicated young lady" he added that last part with a smirk, but all traces of smile were wiped from his face as he saw hers.

"Jim, I-" God, she was beautiful. Even now, when all traces of makeup had been wiped off, and she hadn't brushed her teeth for far too long, she was the most beautiful person he'd ever seen. She looked so serious, however, that surely she wasn't thinking thoughts as wonderful as his. His face crinkled up in pain as he prepared for the worst.

"Jim I don't think-" _Oh, God, here it comes._ "I don't think we should tell anyone in the office just yet, about this. Whatever "this" is. What is this?"

"This is whatever you want it to be." He whispered as he took her face in his hands, and slowly kissed her forehead.

Jim suddenly felt a lot more relaxed. She was happy with a "this". She thought there was a "this". That's enough for now. He breathed out deeply and laid back.

"I'm an idiot aren't I?" Pam's whimpering voice broke the tranquillity like a knife in Jim's heart.

"What? Pamela Beesly you're the least idiotic person I know. What are you talking about?"

"I- I should never have been with Roy. I'm so stupid. I'm sorry. This is all I wanted, I just couldn't even admit it to myself. Let alone to you. I missed you so much while you were at Stamford, Jim. Life isn't life without you, I considered quitting, y'know? I just couldn't sit there staring at someone else in your seat. But we had that phone call, and I decided I couldn't leave because I still had a link with you, and I couldn't bear to break it, no matter how pointless it was. I've been so stupid and I'm sorry and I don't know how I can ever make it up to you."

Jim was speechless. _Incredible._ Pam had feelings for him. Pam. Pam. Pam. Pam. Pam. He closed his eyes and screamed her name inside his head a thousand times. When he opened them she was staring worriedly at him, and he realised he hadn't even spoken. "Pam," he began, not knowing quite how to say everything he'd ever wanted to say in one sentence, "just you, being here, makes up for everything bad in the entire world." He leaned down to rest his forehead against hers, and softly planted a kiss on her nose.


	2. Chapter 2

As Jim drove towards the office he started to think about the two hour journey he took just yesterday. How could it be yesterday? It seemed like forever. That was probably the worst drive of his life. Having withdrawn from consideration for the corporate job, he was kind of screwed if she'd had said no. It was a wonder he didn't crash really, he was barely paying attention to the road. It all seemed so stupid now, dating Karen, trying to get away, trying to deny he felt anything. What was he doing? It would always be Pam, It was like trying to pretend that Dwight didn't love beets. He shook his head and shivered, why did his mind always fall to Dwight?

"What?" said Pam, with a smile. She'd been watching him intently since they woke up. What was he thinking? Was he thinking the same as her? About forever and a family and a house and growing old? She felt like a teenager. They weren't even technically dating, were they?

"Nothing, Beesly, you just really gave me a run for my money these last few years didn't you?"

"Years? What do you mean?"

"Pam, come on." said Jim, blushing and turning away to look at the road.

"No, what? Tell me" Pam pushed.

"You must know, Pam." She stared at him with her brow crinkled in frustration.

"Jim?"

"Pam I've liked you since the first time I stepped foot in the office."

Pam blushed, "no, Jim, you didn't. You couldn't-"

Jim shrugged his shoulders and flashed her a smile, "what can I say Beesly? You're obviously to blame, I mean, the smiles, the sweets on the desk? They were obviously there to tempt me in, and let me tell you, they worked."

"JIM" Pam shouted. "I can't believe you, you're SO full of it" she reached out and hit him on the shoulder, causing him to swerve in the road.

"What? You're mad I'm right so you're trying to kill us both? I really didn't pin you out as a murderer Pam" he smirked, raising his eyebrows.

"Listen, we're nearly at the office. We have to act normal, ok? No-one even knows we went out last night, and they're not going to. We're just friends, and you're waiting to hear about the corporate job." Ordered Pam. God, she still didn't even believe he'd turned it down for her. It couldn't be just for her could it? He probably just told her that last night to win her over. There was probably a million other reasons he'd pulled out, right?

"You know if you're that embarrassed by me you can just get out the car here" Jim pointed out smugly.

"Fine. I will. Don't underestimate me Jim." said Pam as she undid her seatbelt and slid out of the car. After grabbing her bag and straightening her skirt, she looked up at Jim, who was staring at her with his mouth hanging open. "Good day, Mr Halpert." She said with a smile.

"Pam, we're still two blocks away- I was just joking you know." Jim was a little scared by this side of Pam. He realised she had him completely wrapped around her little finger. He'd probably go crash the car and fake his own death for a week if she told him to. She ignored him and carried on walking.

"Well then. Good morning Miss Beesly, see you at work." he said as he winded up his car window and drove away.

As he drove the rest of the way into work, Jim started to feel ill. He missed her already. Which was stupid because he'd see her in a few minutes and she was probably in sight if he looked back. But he felt like he couldn't let her out of arms reach. Like maybe if he let her go for too long he'd wake up from this dream and everything would go back to normal. It was going to be hell not being able to even touch her all day. Not like you did it for several years, Jim, he thought to himself. But it was different now, like he'd had a taste of heaven and it was all he could think about.

As Jim parked up and reached in the back to get his bag, there was a knock on his car window. As he looked up he was greeted with the all too cheery face of Kevin.

"Hey Jim, you came back awfully early last night didn't you? I thought you were staying in New York, with Karen."

Jim winced, God, it really did seem so long ago, like a separate world. "Well, Kevin, uhh, I guess I just decided to come home early. Sleep in my own bed, you know?"

"Yeah, but did you?" Kevin smirked and winked at Jim, with a look on his face as if he'd cracked the secrets of the universe.

"Um, yeah, Kevin, I went home, watched some TV, went to bed about eight. Early night you know? Figured I'd be up bright and early this morning, so here I am"

"Sure Jim, whatever you say" Kevin laughed and walked off into the office. For God's sake. How did Kevin know something? Kevin? Of all people. He could barely work out what day of the week it was, but he was onto them. Jim laughed to himself and got out of the car, He waited a minute so he wouldn't have to share the elevator, and then continued up into the office.

As he walked in, somehow it all seemed brighter. God, how cheesy could he get? But really, the office just seemed, better. As he walked towards reception he imagined the face that would be sitting there within minutes, and that just made the whole office seem beautiful. Even the accountants corner seemed kind of cheery. His main problem today would be focusing on work. All he could think was Pam. How she looked when they woke up this morning, how she'd blushed every time he looked at her. Of course, thinking about Pam had been a distraction since day one. But now it seemed so much more real. Today it was actually happening. He could actually kiss her. Hug her. Well, he couldn't. But he could.

When he next looked up, there she was. It was if he had to hold his whole body down to not go over and touch her. After staring at the clock for three minutes. Yes, three. He was surprised how long it felt, he went up to her desk and leant against it. Like he'd done every day for years. But this time he wasn't just smirking at his latest prank, he was full on grinning.

"Good morning Miss Beesly" he said as he reached for a sweet. Before he ate it he made sure she'd clearly seen he had it. "Bribery" he whispered.

"Jim. Go back to your desk. People will-"

"Shh. Shh. I thought I'd finally let you in on my latest endeavour." Jim smirked as he glanced over to Dwight's desk. "Starting tonight, I'm going to be adding a tiny piece of wood, of which I have 100 in my trunk, to the bottom of Dwight's desk. Now, eventually he'll start to notice the difference, and what I need you to do is make up an illness"

Pam's smile stretched across her entire face. "What do you mean make one up? That's Sociopamitis. First, you begin to lose your spatial awareness, it's caused by too much use of a computer." Pam nodding knowingly as she told him. Jim stared at her. "What? Don't you like it?"

"Pam, I-" Jim was interrupted by Kevin pushing past him to get to the sweets on Pam's desk. He not so sneakily looked across at them as he filled his hands with the candy. "So, Pam if you could get me that research printed off that'd be great" covered Jim, moving back towards his desk, smirking at the disappointment on Kevin's face.


End file.
